No need for blushes though as beneath its saucy surface Hysteria is a rather sweet romantic comedy.
In Victorian England young Mortimer Granville (Hugh Dancy) is constantly frustrated by a stuffy medical establishment that refuses to embrace change.
He is thrilled to secure a position with Dr Robert Dalrymple (Jonathan Pryce), a specialist in the treatment of female “hysteria”, something he relieves with a vigorous dose of genital massage.
The waiting list of satisfied patients is endless. Mortimer is soon exhausted and suffering repetitive strain injury, which is why his gadget-loving benefactor Edmund (a droll Rupert Everett) creates an electronic means of achieving the same result.
Running alongside this is the story of Granville’s attraction to Dalrymple’s daughter Charlotte (a delightful Maggie Gyllenhaal) while fending off Molly the maid (Sheridan Smith). Predictable but jolly good fun, Hysteria largely avoids the
Predictable but jolly good fun, Hysteria largely avoids the temptation for smut and frequently hits the spot.
temptation for smut and frequently hits the spot.
(Cert 15; 95mins)